2017 Wood Diamond Award
DK Cabinets (Acton, CA)

Main Category: Entertainment
Sub Category: Face Frame
Dollar Amount: Under $25,000

Briefly describe your business and the type of products manufactured.
Located in Southern California, we manufacture residential cabinetry including kitchens, baths, entertainment centers and custom built-ins.

What materials/species were used in this project/item?
In this project we used black melamine in all lower cabinets and behind doors. All exposed and finished areas are alder ply and solid alder face frames and moldings.

Describe, in detail, the project/item's construction
Every cabinet in this project was cut on the table saw (the "old fashioned way") and glued, nailed and screwed together with inset backs. Face frames were assembled with pocket screws and attached to the cabinets. The center is comprised of seven individual cabinets. The open cabinets have 3/8" glass shelves and all upper cabinets are lit with recessed LED lighting. The lighting is controlled by a touch dimmer, on/off switch discretely mounted in one of the cabinets. The finish was a water borne stain and glaze, all done in-house. All parts were finished prior to assembly.

What is the most unusual aspect or outstanding characteristic of this entry?
The unusual or real challenging aspect of this project was designing it to accommodate all my client's specific needs. The center was designed around a 70" flat screen TV and the client's home theater system. Every component, speaker and sub-woofer needed to have a specific cabinet and those dimensions needed to be worked in to the limited space. Each cabinet which housed a speaker was covered with a framed door with a speaker mesh insert.

How has being a member of the CMA benefited you and/or your business?
Being a member of the CMA has benefited me greatly. As a one man shop, it is comforting to know that I have hundreds of other cabinet shops that I can go to for advice via the CMA's forums and local events. It is through these venues that I have developed close ties with many other shop owners, expanded my knowledge base and exposure to industry leaders and suppliers.

List any items that were outsourced.
Doors from Decorative Specialties
Lighting from Hafele